The first new music from Chicago alt rock legends Fig Dish in 25+ years. After two major label albums, the band broke up but had recorded a ton of new material in the late 90s that never saw the light of day until now. 12 killer tracks, all recorded in the 90s. Chicago’s FIG DISH didn’t name themselves after a soft, sweet, fleshy fruit; rather, the name is a phonetic approximation of the German expletive, fick dich (make of that what you will). FIG DISH were four high school friends: guitarists/vocalists Rick Ness and Blake Smith, bassist/vocalist Mike Willison, and drummer Andy Hamilton. In their day (a day that began in the late Winter of 1991 and ended in the early summer of 1998), they were known for catchy songs, memorable (often booze-fueled) live shows, and self-sabotage. In July 1995, FIG DISH’s debut That’s What Love Songs Often Do was released. And just like that, the band was catapulted from regional obscurity into national obscurity. MTV played the video for the band’s first single, “Seeds” and FIG DISH toured the U.S. and Canada relentlessly with bands like Veruca Salt, The Muffs, Letters to Cleo, Juliana Hatfield, Local H, and The Rentals. In 1997, their sophomore album When Shove Goes Back To Push, was sunk by a risque music video for the single “When Shirts Get Tight” featuring adult film stars that MTV refused to play and the band was dropped by an indifferent Polygram Records in the summer of 1998. It was at this low point, after that video had failed to save the band’s record deal, that they regrouped and began putting together another LP’s worth of songs, recorded and mixed by Andy Gerber at his Chicago studio, Million Yen. Unable to find a new label, FIG DISH gradually splintered into other projects. Mike and Blake formed the electronic-tinged Caviar (and later Prairie Cartel with Local H’s Scott Lucas) while Rick formed the prog-influenced outfit, Ness, with Bill Swartz, and Veruca Salt’s Jim Shapiro. This third step in FIG DISH’s musical evolution remained in the musty Million Yen vaults in Chicago for two and a half decades. Something pretty close to what that third Fig Dish album might have been in the late 90s, is now before you as Feels Like The Very First Two Times, the band’s first “new” release in 27 years. “Few groups have done the drunken, chaotic, ramshackle but insanely infectious Midwestern garage-pop thing better” – Jim Derogatis, Chicago Sun-Times “A potent haze of slacker sloth and fierce rock assault.” – Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune “I would walk through a snipers alley to see this band live.” – Illinois Entertainer “Able to conjure up a potent haze of slacker sloth and then obliterate it with a fierce rock assault – Ira Robbins, Trouser Press “…almost every one of these songs will stick to your brain like musical super-glue.” – CMJ
01. BURN BRIGHT FOR NOW
02. THE RAGGED ONES
03. SCIENCE GOES PUBLIC
04. TAKE ME WHOLE
05. KAROLINE WAITS
06. TEAR THE ATMOSPHERE
07. CELLOPHANE AND SULFUR
08. SENIOR CIRCUIT
09. IF NOT NOW WHEN
10. AD+D
11. BEST DISGUISE
12. TROUBLE AND SWAY
